U.S. patent number 9,068,601 [Application Number 14/375,642] was granted by the patent office on 2015-06-30 for linear guide apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to NSK Ltd.. The grantee listed for this patent is Yoshinori Mizumura. Invention is credited to Yoshinori Mizumura.
United States Patent |
9,068,601 |
Mizumura |
June 30, 2015 |
Linear guide apparatus
Abstract
A trunk portion (13) of each end face of a slider body of a
linear guide apparatus is covered with trunk parts (212A, 212B) of
retainers (2A, 2B) in the whole width direction. End faces of both
of the trunk parts (212A, 212B) are provided with a projection
portion (212c) and a recess portion (212d), respectively. The end
faces of both of the trunk parts (212A, 212B) are brought into
contact with each other in a width direction of the projection
portion (212c) and the recess portion (212d), that is a thickness
direction of the trunk portion (13) of the slider body, and has a
gap in a length direction (i.e., width direction of the slider).
End faces of adjacent trunk parts (212A, 212B) oppose each other at
a position not overlapping an oil supply opening (70). Oil grooves
(23) conforming to oil grooves (76) formed on the end cap (7) are
provided on end cap side faces of plate-shaped portions (21A, 21B)
integrally formed with the retainers (2A, 2B).
Inventors: |
Mizumura; Yoshinori (Kanagawa,
JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mizumura; Yoshinori |
Kanagawa |
N/A |
JP |
|
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Assignee: |
NSK Ltd. (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
48904565 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/375,642 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2012 |
PCT
Filed: |
August 10, 2012 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/JP2012/005108 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
July 30, 2014 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2013/114475 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
August 08, 2013 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20150023618 A1 |
Jan 22, 2015 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
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Jan 31, 2012 [JP] |
|
|
2012-018404 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C
29/0607 (20130101); F16C 29/0602 (20130101); F16C
29/0609 (20130101); F16C 29/06 (20130101); F16C
29/086 (20130101); F16C 33/6659 (20130101); F16C
29/0647 (20130101); F16C 29/0659 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16C
29/06 (20060101); F16C 33/10 (20060101); F16C
33/66 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;384/13,43,45 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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10 2006 062 105 |
|
Jul 2008 |
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DE |
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11-72119 |
|
Mar 1999 |
|
JP |
|
3571911 |
|
Sep 2004 |
|
JP |
|
2005-207469 |
|
Aug 2005 |
|
JP |
|
2008-2660 |
|
Jan 2008 |
|
JP |
|
2008-138748 |
|
Jun 2008 |
|
JP |
|
2013-87936 |
|
May 2013 |
|
JP |
|
1290984 |
|
Dec 2007 |
|
TW |
|
Other References
Corresponding International Search Report dated Nov. 20, 2012 with
English Translation (four (4) pages). cited by applicant .
Japanese-language Written Opinion dated Nov. 20, 2012 (PCT/ISA/237)
(three (3) pages). cited by applicant .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability (PCT/IB/338 &
PCT/IB/373), including English translation of Written Opinion
(PCT/ISA/237) dated Aug. 14, 2014 (Six (6) pages). cited by
applicant .
Japanese Office Action dated Jul. 29, 2014, with English
translation (Four (4) pages). cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Johnson; Phillip A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Crowell & Moring LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A linear guide apparatus, comprising: a guide rail; a slider;
and a plurality of rolling elements, wherein: the guide rail and
the slider are configured to form rolling faces disposed to oppose
each other for forming a rolling passage for the plurality of
rolling elements, the slider includes a return passage for the
plurality of rolling elements, and a direction changing path for
communicating the return passage and the rolling passage, a
circulation path of the plurality of rolling elements is configured
with the rolling passage, the return passage, and the direction
changing path, the guide rail or the slider are configured to
relatively move linearly with respect to each other, by the
plurality of rolling elements circulating in the circulation path,
the slider comprises: (1) a body including a pair of leg portions
arranged on both sides in a width direction of the guide rail and a
trunk portion connecting the pair of leg portions, the rolling
faces being respectively formed on inner sides of the pair of leg
portions, (2) a pair of retainers made of a synthetic resin and
respectively arranged on the pair of leg portions, the pair of
retainers being integrally formed with plate-shaped portions to be
in contact with both end faces of the body and a holding portion
arranged on an inner face of each of the pair of leg portions and
holding the plurality of rolling elements on the rolling faces, (3)
an end cap including an oil supply opening to be connected with a
lubricant supplying pipe, a recess portion forming an outer
circumference of the direction changing path on a body side face of
the end cap, and a deposition face for the plate-shaped portion
lower than an abutting face to be in contact with the body, the end
cap being secured to either or both of the end faces of the body,
and (4) a return guide forming an inner circumference of the
direction changing path, an oil groove configured to form an oil
path from the oil supply opening to the recess portion between the
plate-shaped portion and the end cap, the oil groove being arranged
on an end cap side face facing the plate-shaped portion, the
plate-shaped portion includes a leg part to be in contact with one
of the pair of leg portions and a trunk part to be in contact with
a part of the trunk portion, and end faces of the trunk parts of
the pair of retainers oppose each other or contact with each other
at a central portion in a width direction of the trunk portion of
each of the end faces of the body, wherein a recess portion and a
projection portion fit the end faces of adjacent trunk parts with
each other.
2. The linear guide apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the
oil supply opening is configured to penetrate through the end cap
in a thickness direction of the end cap and to be connected to an
oil groove of the plate-shaped portion of the retainer, and the end
faces of adjacent trunk parts oppose each other or contact with
each other at a position not overlapping the oil supply opening.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a linear guide apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
The linear guide apparatus is provided with a guide rail, a slider,
and plural rolling elements. The guide rail and the slider include
rolling grooves (or rolling faces when the rolling elements are
"rollers"), respectively, disposed opposing each other and forming
a rolling passage of the rolling elements. The slider further
includes a return passage of the rolling elements and a direction
changing path for communicating the return passage with the rolling
passage. Then, a circulation path of the rolling elements is
configured with the rolling passage, the return passage, and the
direction changing path. By circulation of the rolling elements
through the circulation path, one of the guide rail and the slider
is relatively and linearly moved to the other thereof.
In addition, the linear guide apparatus is provided with
separators, each of the separator including a spacer disposed
between adjacent rolling elements and an arm portion (i.e., guide
portion) secured to the spacer and extending in an arrangement
direction of the rolling elements, and a guide groove to guide the
arm portion is formed in the circulation path of the rolling
elements, in some cases. In such cases, the rolling elements move
through the circulation path with being held or accommodated in the
separators, and the arm portions of the separators moves along the
guide groove.
PLT 1 discloses that the slider is configured with a body (i.e.,
block body), a resin circulation path forming body, and an end cap
(i.e., side cover). The body is configured with leg portions
respectively arranged on both sides in a width direction of the
guide rail, and a trunk portion to connect both of the leg
portions, and the rolling grooves are respectively formed on the
inner sides of the leg portions.
As the resin circulation path forming body, PLT 1 discloses that a
member (i.e., resin frame) is provided for each of the leg
portions, the member being integrally formed of a retaining portion
for retaining the rolling elements on the rolling face (i.e., load
ball passage configuring portion extending along both side rims of
the rolling groove), an inner circumference guiding portion (i.e.,
return guide) of the direction changing path, and a plate-shaped
portion to be brought into contact with both end faces of each of
the leg portions. Additionally, the end cap is secured to the end
face of the body via the plate-shaped portion.
Further, in the end cap, an accommodating recess portion for
accommodating the plate-shaped portion is formed in a uniform
depth. PLT 1, however, does not disclose the plate-shaped portion
being provided with an oil supply path forming groove for forming
an oil path between the plate-shaped portion and the end cap.
PLT 2 discloses a retainer being provided for each of the leg
portions of the slider body, the retainer being integrated with the
plate-shaped portion to be brought into contact with both end faces
of the body (except for a central portion in the width direction of
the trunk portion), and a retaining portion disposed on the inner
face of each of the leg portions and retaining the rolling elements
on the rolling face, and the oil supply path forming groove is
provided on an end cap side face of the plate-shaped portion. In
addition, an oil supply opening penetrating through the end cap in
a thickness direction at the central portion of the trunk portion
of the end cap, and the oil supply path forming groove extending to
both sides of the oil supply opening is formed on an abutting face
abutting with the slider body.
Furthermore, on a body side face of the end cap, a face lower than
the abutting face is formed as a disposition face of the
plate-shaped portion of the retaining portion. Accordingly, by
securing the end cap to the body on which the retainer is attached,
the plate-shaped portion of the retainer is disposed on a
plate-shaped portion disposition face of the end cap, so that the
oil supply path forming groove of the end cap and the oil supply
path forming groove of the plate-shaped portion are communicated
with each other to form an oil supply path from an oil supply
opening to the direction changing path.
In the configuration of PLT 2, however, when an interval between
the plate-shaped portion disposition face of the end cap and the
abutting face is smaller than the thickness of the plate-shaped
portion of the retainer, a gap is generated at a location where the
plate-shaped portion is not present between the end cap and the
trunk portion of the body. Hence, the lubricant easily leaks.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
PLT 1: FIG. 40 to FIG. 44 of JP Patent No. 3,571,911 PLT 2: JP
2008-138748 A
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
It is an object of the present invention to provide a linear guide
apparatus in which a plate-shaped portion having an oil supply
groove and being in contact with an end face of the slider body is
integrally formed with a retainer, and the plate-shaped portion is
disposed between the end face of the slider body and an end cap. In
the linear guide apparatus, regardless of a relationship of an
interval between a plate-shaped portion disposition face and an
abutting face of the end cap (i.e., a face abutting with the slider
body) and the thickness of the plate-shaped portion of the
retainer, a lubricant is made to hardly leak from between the end
cap and the slider body.
Solution to Problem
In order to address the above object, there is provided a linear
guide apparatus, comprising the following configurations (a) to
(e):
(a) a guide rail; a slider; and a plurality of rolling elements,
wherein the guide rail and the slider are configured to form
rolling faces disposed to oppose each other for forming a rolling
passage of the plurality of rolling elements, the slider includes a
return passage of the plurality of rolling elements, and a
direction changing path for communicating the return passage and
the rolling passage, a circulation path of the plurality of rolling
elements is configured with the rolling passage, the return
passage, and the direction changing path, the guide rail or the
slider are configured to relatively move linearly with respect to
each other, by the plurality of rolling elements circulating in the
circulation path.
(b) the slider comprises: (1) a body including a pair of leg
portions arranged on both sides in a width direction of the guide
rail and a trunk portion connecting the pair of leg portions, the
rolling faces being respectively formed on inner sides of the pair
of leg portions, (2) a pair of retainers made of a synthetic resin
and respectively arranged for the pair of leg portions, the pair of
retainers being integrally formed with plate-shaped portions to be
in contact with both of end faces of the body and a holding portion
arranged on an inner face of each of the pair of leg portions and
holding the plurality of rolling elements on the rolling faces, (3)
an end cap including an oil supply opening to be connected with a
lubricant supplying pipe, a recess portion forming an outer
circumference of the direction changing path on a body side face of
the end cap, and a deposition face of the plate-shaped portion
lower than an abutting face to be in contact with the body, the end
cap being secured to either of both of the end faces of the body,
and (4) a return guide of forming an inner circumference of the
direction changing path.
(c) an oil groove configured to form an oil path from the oil
supply opening to the recess portion between the plate-shaped
portion and the end cap, the oil groove being arranged on an end
cap side face of the plate-shaped portion.
(d) the plate-shaped portion includes a leg part to be in contact
with one of the pair of leg portions and a trunk part to be in
contact with a part of the trunk portion.
(e) end faces of the trunk parts of the pair of retainers oppose
each other or contact with each other at a central portion in a
width direction of the trunk portion of each of the end faces of
the body.
According to the linear guide apparatus in one aspect of the
present invention, a pair of retainers satisfying the above
configuration (2) are provided and the plate-shaped portion
satisfies the above configurations (c) to (e), so that the
lubricant existing in the oil path can be hardly leaked regardless
of the relationship of the interval between the plate-shaped
portion deposition face and the abutting face (i.e., the face to be
brought into contact with the slider body) of the end cap and the
thickness of the plate-shaped portion of the retainer. That is,
even if the interval between the deposition face and the abutting
face of the end cap is smaller than the thickness of the
plate-shaped portion, the lubricant existing in the oil path can be
hardly leaked.
In a case where the oil supply opening penetrates through the end
cap in the thickness direction of the end cap and is connected with
the oil groove of the plate-shaped portion, when the opposing or
contacting position of the end faces of the adjacent trunk parts
(i.e., the end faces of the trunk parts of both of the retainers)
is set to the position of overlapping the oil supply opening, a
measure should be taken for changing the size or the like of the
oil supply opening so that the lubricant can be hardly leaked.
However, the position is set not to overlap the oil supply opening,
thereby eliminating such a measure.
Accordingly, in the case where the oil supply opening penetrates
through the end cap in the thickness direction of the end cap and
is connected with the oil groove of the plate-shaped portion of the
retainer, it is desirable that the opposing or contacting position
of the end faces of the adjacent trunk parts should be set to the
position of not overlapping the oil supply opening.
In addition, in a case where the end faces of the adjacent trunk
parts are both flat, even if the retainer is produced with the
dimensional tolerance being strict for contact between both of the
end faces, it may be difficult to obtain the retainer with a gap
between both of the end faces being completely zero because of
contraction or the like of a synthetic resin. In particular, in a
case where the sizes of the adjacent trunk part (i.e., size in the
width direction of the slider) both deviate to a larger one, it may
be impossible not only to contact the end faces, but also to attach
the retainer correctly.
In contrast, in a case where the end faces of the adjacent trunk
parts have the recess portion and the projection portion to fit
with each other, the lengths of the trunk parts are made smaller
than the length in which the both ends contacts with each other and
the widths of the recess portion and the projection portion of the
trunk parts (i.e., size in the thickness direction of the trunk
portion of the slider body) are made so that the recess portion and
the projection portion of the trunk parts are brought into contact
with each other or oppose each other with a slight gap. Hence, the
lubricant can be hardly leaked from between both of the end faces.
Since the widths of the trunk parts are smaller in size than the
lengths of the trunk parts, the contraction quantity of the
synthetic resin in the trunk part is smaller in the width direction
than that in the length direction. Therefore, the size management
becomes easy.
Accordingly, in the case where the end faces of the adjacent trunk
parts have the recess portion and the projection portion to fit
with each other, as compared to a case where the end faces are both
flat, the lubricant can be hardly leaked from between both end
faces more certainly.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the linear guide apparatus of the present invention, a
lubricant can be hardly leaked from between the end cap and the
slider body, regardless of a relationship of an interval between a
plate-shaped portion disposition face and an abutting face (i.e., a
face abutting with the slider body) of the end cap and the
thickness of the plate-shaped portion in the retainer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrative of a body included in a
slider according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrative of a retainer according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a front view illustrative of a state in which a pair of
retainers are attached to the body of the slider;
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 3, illustrating with one
of the retainers being cut away;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrative of an end cap included in
the slider according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a view illustrative of an overlapping state of the end
cap and a pair of retainers;
FIG. 8 is a front view illustrative of the end cap with another oil
path pattern;
FIG. 9 is a front view illustrative of a state in which a retainer
for the end cap of FIG. 8 is attached to the slider body;
FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a view illustrative of an example of a relationship
between end faces of adjacent trunk portions;
FIG. 12 is a view illustrative of an end face of a trunk part on
the left side of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a view illustrative of an example of a relationship
between end faces of adjacent trunk parts; and
FIG. 14 is a view illustrative of an end face of the trunk part on
the left side of FIG. 13.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described, but the present invention is not limited to the
embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrative of a body of a slider
included in the linear guide apparatus according to the present
embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrative of one of a
pair of retainers included in the linear guide apparatus according
to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view illustrative of a
state in which a pair of retainers are attached to the body
illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of
FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 3, illustrating
with one of the retainers being cut away.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrative of a body side face of an
end cap of the slider included in the linear guide apparatus
according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view illustrative
of an overlapping state of the end cap of FIG. 6 and the retainer
of FIG. 2.
As illustrated in these figures, the slider according to the
present embodiment includes a body 1, a pair of retainers 2A and
2B, a return guide 3, and an end cap 7.
Referring to FIG. 1, the body 1 of the slider includes leg portions
11 and 12 disposed on both sides in the width direction of the
guide rail, respectively, and a trunk portion 13 connecting both of
the leg portions 11 and 12. Each of the leg portions 11 and 12 has
two through holes 41 for two return passages, respectively, a screw
hole 42 formed between the two through holes 41 so as to attach an
end cap, and two rows of rolling grooves (rolling faces) 43a and
43b each having an arc-shaped cross section on an inner face. A
groove 44 having an arc-shaped cross section is also formed between
both of the rolling grooves 43a and 43b.
Screw holes 45 are formed on an end face of the trunk portion 13 of
the body 1 so as to attach the end cap. Screw holes 46 are formed
on a top face of the trunk portion 13 so as to attach the slider to
another member. In addition, recess portions 48 are respectively
arranged on the lower ends of both of the leg portions 11 and 12 of
the body 1, so as to attach an underseal.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, retainers 2A and 2B are respectively
provided for the leg portions 11 and 12 of the body 1. The
retainers 2A and 2B, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, include
two plate-shaped portions 21A and two plate-shaped portions 21B,
respectively. Each of the retainers 2A and 2B include an upper
retaining portion 22a, a middle retaining portion 22b, a lower
retaining portion 22c, a flange portion 24, a sleeve portion 25,
and coupling portions 26, respectively. FIG. 2 partially
illustrates the left-side retainer 2A and entirely illustrates the
right-side retainer 2B, but the left-side retainer 2A is same as
the right-side 2B except for the shape of a part of the
plate-shaped portion 21A.
The plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B include leg portions 211
disposed to conform to the leg portions 11 and 12 of the body 1.
The plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B include trunk parts 212A and
212B disposed to conform to the trunk portions 13, respectively. An
upper recess portion 213 and a lower recess portion 217 are formed
on the inner side in the width direction of each of the leg
portions 211. Two through holes 218 communicating with the two
through holes 41 of each of the leg portions 11 and 12 of the body
1 and a through hole 219 communicating with the screw hole 42 of
each of the leg portions 11 and 12 of the body 1 are formed on the
outer side in the width direction of the leg portions 211. Through
holes 212a communicating with the screw holes 45 of the trunk
portion 13 of the body 1 are formed in the trunk parts 212A and
212B, respectively.
In addition, the trunk part 212A of the retainer 2A for the leg
portion 11 (left side of FIG. 3) is longer than the trunk part 212B
of the retainer 2B for the leg portion 12, and extends to the right
side of the center (i.e., locations of an oil supply opening 70 and
a joint attachment hole 70a of the end cap 7, as will be described
later) in the width direction of the trunk portion 13 of the body
1. A projection portion 212c is formed on an end face of the trunk
part 212A of the retainer 2A. A recess portion 212d to be fitted by
the projection portion 212c is arranged on an end face of the trunk
part 212B of the retainer 2B. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view
illustrative of this part.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the lengths of the trunk parts 212A and
212B (i.e., the sizes in the width direction of the slider) are
made slightly shorter than the length in which both end faces come
in contact with each other, and the width of the projection portion
212c of the trunk part 212A and the recess portion 212d of the
trunk part 212B (i.e., the size in the thickness direction of the
trunk portion 13 of the body 1) are made so that the projection
portion 212c of the trunk part 212A and the recess portion 212d of
the trunk part 212B are brought into contact with each other.
Further, an oil groove 23 made to conform to an oil groove 76, to
be described later, formed in the end cap 7 is formed on an end cap
side face of the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B. The oil groove
23 includes circular grooves 23a on the outer side of the through
hole 212a, straight grooves 23b extending inward along the trunk
parts 212A and 212B from the circular grooves 23a, angular grooves
23c extending outward from the circular grooves 23a, and long
grooves 23d extending to the leg portions from the angular grooves
23c. The long grooves 23d respectively extend between the through
hole 218 and the upper recess portion 213, and also extend between
the through hole 218 and the lower recess portion 217.
Regarding the retainers 2A and 2B, the two plate-shaped portions
21A and the two plate-shaped portions 21B are respectively spaced
apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance
between the end faces of the body 1. Between the two plate-shaped
portions 21A and 21B, the flange portion 24, the upper retaining
portion 22a, the middle retaining portion 22b, the lower retaining
portion 22c, and the sleeve portion 25 are provided from the trunk
portion 13 side, and integrated together. Moreover, the sleeve
portion 25 and the lower retaining portion 22c are coupled by the
coupling portion 26, such that the retainers 2A and 2B respectively
have integrated shapes formed by injection molding of a synthetic
resin.
FIG. 5 is a view illustrative of the plate-shaped portion 21A of
the left-side retainer 2A in which the leg portion side is cut
along a contact plane to be in contact with both end faces of the
body 1.
As can be seen from FIG. 5, the upper retaining portions 22a, the
middle retaining portions 22b, and the lower retaining portions 22c
are arranged on the inner face of the body 1 and serve as members
to cause the two rows of rolling grooves 43a and 43b to hold balls
(i.e., the rolling elements) in each of the leg portions 11 and 12.
The flange portion 24 is interposed between the trunk portion 13
and the guide rail and serves as a member to be arranged on the
lower face of the trunk portion 13. The sleeve portion 25 is a
member of forming a recess portion 27, for attaching the underseal,
between the sleeve portion 25 and a recess portion 48 of the body
1.
According to the linear guide apparatus of the present embodiment,
a separator having an arm portion is arranged between adjacent
balls for circulating the balls, the slider is provided with guide
slots 5 to guide the arm portions. In other words, as illustrated
in FIG. 5, the guide slots 5 are configured with inner faces
continuous with the rolling grooves 43a and 43b of the leg portions
11 and 12 of the body 1, and recess portions 221a to 224a,
extending entirely in the length direction of the slider, provided
in the retaining portions 22a to 22c of each of the retainers 2A
and 2B.
The upper retaining portion 22a is arranged on top of the upper
rolling groove 43a, and includes an arc-shaped ball retaining face
221 to conform to the diameters of the balls, and a recess portion
221a continuous with the ball retaining face 221 made to conform to
the diameters of the balls. The flange portion 24 is integrated
with the upper retaining portion 22a. The middle retaining portion
22b is arranged at a groove 44 between the upper and lower rolling
grooves 43a and 43b, and includes recess portions 222a and 223a
continuous with the upper and lower ball retaining faces 222 and
223, respectively. The lower retaining portion 22c is arranged at
bottom of the lower rolling groove 43b, and includes an arc-shaped
ball retaining face 224 made to conform to the diameters of the
balls, and a recess portion 224a continuous with the ball retaining
face 224.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, the oil supply opening 70 penetrating in
the thickness direction of the end cap 7 is formed at the center of
the trunk portion of the end cap 7. In addition, two recess
portions 71 forming an outer circumferential guide face of the
direction changing path are formed on a body side face of the end
cap 7 in each of the leg portions, and through holes 72 for the
attachment bolts to penetrate therethrough are arranged between the
upper and lower recess portions 71, respectively.
In the end cap 7, through holes 73 are also formed at locations
conforming to the screw holes 45 of the trunk portion 13 of the
body 1, respectively. Furthermore, recess portions 74 to be fitted
by edge portions 31 of the return guide 3 and a recess portion 75
to be fitted by a coupling portion 32 of the return guide 3 are
formed in the end cap 7.
On the body side face of the end cap 7, a part (i.e., disposition
face) 7A in which the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B of the
retainers 2A and 2B are deposited is lower than an abutting face
(i.e., contact face to be brought into contact with an end face of
the body 1) 7B by the thickness of the plate-shaped portion 21A or
21B.
Therefore, edge portions 71a and 71b protruding at a height equal
to or higher than the abutting face 7B from the disposition face 7A
are provided around the recess portions 71, respectively. End faces
in the length direction of the upper retaining portion 22a and the
lower retaining portion 22c of the retainers 2A and 2B are arranged
on a protruding face (flush with the abutting face 7B) of the edge
portion 71b. A face 71c on which the intermediate retaining portion
22b is arranged is as high as the disposition face 7A.
Furthermore, the disposition face 7A of the end cap 7 is provided
with the oil groove 76 extending from the oil supply opening 70 to
the recess portions 71 on both sides. The oil groove 76 is
configured with circular grooves 76a on the outer side of the
through holes 73, straight grooves 76b extending in a linear shape
leftward and rightward (outward in the width direction) from the
oil supply opening 70 to reach the circular grooves 76a,
respectively, angular grooves 76c extending outward from the
circular grooves 76a, and longitudinal grooves 76d extending toward
the recess portions 71 from the angular grooves 76c.
In other words, the oil groove 76 is formed at the location where
the trunk parts 212A and 212B of the plate-shaped portion 21 are to
be arranged. In addition, grooves 33 continuous with the oil
grooves 76d are formed in the return guide 3. Oil supply holes 34
penetrating through the return guide 3 are formed at locations
respectively conforming to the recess portions 71 of the groove
33.
FIG. 7 is a view illustrative of the slider after the slider is
assembled, in which the body 1 is omitted and the retainers 2A and
2B are cut just before the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B, and
the end cap 7 side is viewed. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a joint
attachment hole 70a is arranged at a location of the oil supply
opening 70 of the end cap 7. The joint attachment hole 70a extends
to a partway in the thickness direction from a face opposing the
disposition face 7A of the end cap 7, and communicates with the oil
supply opening 70.
When the linear guide apparatus according to the present embodiment
is assembled, the retainers 2A and 2B are firstly attached to the
body 1 of the slider from the inner side of each of the leg
portions 11 and 12, and the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B are
arranged on both end faces of the body 1.
Subsequently, the return guide 3 and the end cap 7 are deposited at
one end face of the body 1. The screw holes 42 of the body 1, the
through holes 219 of the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B, and the
through holes 72 of the end cap 7 are respectively aligned with
each other, and the screw holes 45 of the body 1, the through holes
212a of the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B, and the through hole
73 of the end cap 7 are respectively aligned with each other. Then,
the end cap 7 is attached to the body 1 by bolts or small
screws.
By such attachment, the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B of the
retainers 2A and 2B are disposed on the disposition face 7A of the
end cap 7, as illustrated in FIG. 7. An oil path is configured with
the oil groove 76 of the end cap 7, the oil groove 33 of the return
guide 3, and the oil groove 23 of the plate-shaped portions 21A and
21B overlapping the oil groove 33. In addition, the upper and lower
direction changing paths are configured with the upper and lower
recess portions 71 in the return guide 3 and the end cap 7.
Furthermore, the guide slots 5 are respectively formed in the
direction changing path by the return guide 3 and the edge portions
71a of the recess portions 71.
Next, although not illustrated, a return passage is formed in the
body 1 by inserting a sleeve or the like having the guide slot or
guide face to guide the arm portion of the separator having the arm
portion, into the through hole 41 of the body 1.
After that, from an end (the other end face side) to which the end
cap 7 of the body 1 is not attached, balls and the separators
having the arm portions are alternately entered in the direction
changing path configured with the rolling passage, the return
passage, and the end cap 7 and the return guide 3 attached to the
body 1. Then, the balls and separators having the arm portions are
alternately entered in the direction changing path configured with
the other end cap 7 and the return guide 3, and the end cap 7, and
then the return guide 3 are secured to the other end face of the
body 1 in the similar manner as described above. In this manner, an
oil path configured with the oil grooves 76 and 33 and the oil
groove 23 is formed at the other end part of the slider.
Both leg portions of the slider are disposed on both sides in the
width direction of the guide rail by sliding and moving the slider
assembled in this manner from an end portion of the guide rail.
Thus, the balls are arranged in the rolling passage configured with
the rolling grooves 43a and 43b of the slider and the rolling
groove of the guide rail.
In the linear guide apparatus according to the present embodiment,
by connecting a grease nipple or the like (i.e., lubricant
supplying pipe) with the joint attachment hole 70a, the lubricant
introduced from the oil supply opening 70 passes through the oil
path configured with the oil grooves 23 formed in the plate-shaped
portions 21A and 21B of the retainers 2A and 2B, and the oil
grooves 76 and 33 of the end cap 7 and return guide 3, so as to be
supplied to the direction changing path from the oil supply hole 34
of the return guide 3.
Additionally, the trunk parts 212A and 212B of the retainers 2A and
2B cover a central portion in the width direction of the trunk
portion 13 on each end face of the body 1, in the whole width
direction. Furthermore, end faces of both trunk parts 212A and 212B
are fitted to each other at the projection portion 212c and the
recess portion 212d to be brought into contact with each other in
the width direction of the projection portion 212c and the recess
portion 212d (i.e., in the thickness direction of the trunk portion
13 of the body 1), and a slight gap is made in the length direction
of the retainers 2A and 2B (i.e., in the width direction of the
slider). In other words, the end faces of the trunk parts 212A and
212B of the retainers 2A and 2B oppose each other at a central
portion in the width direction of the trunk portion 13 on each end
face of the body 1. Moreover, the end faces of the adjacent trunk
parts 212A and 212B oppose each other at a location of not
overlapping the oil supply opening 70.
Accordingly, regardless of the relationship of the interval between
the disposition face 7A and the abutting face 7B of the end cap 7
and the thickness of the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B of the
retainers 2A and 2B, the lubricant in the oil path can be hardly
leaked. In other words, even in the case where the interval between
the disposition face 7A and the abutting face 7B of the end cap 7
is smaller than the thickness of the plate-shaped portions 21A and
21B of the retainers 2A and 2B, the lubricant in the oil path can
be hardly leaked.
(Another Example with Another Oil Path Pattern)
The oil grooves of the plate-shaped portions 21A and 21B of the
retainers 2A and 2B are formed to overlap the oil grooves formed in
the end cap 7 and the return guide 3. When the end cap 7 of FIG. 8
is used, for example, the retainers 2A and 2B illustrated in FIG. 9
are used.
The recess portion 74 to be fitted by edge portions 31 of the
return guide 3 and the recess portion 75 to be fitted by the
coupling portion 32 of the return guide 3 are formed in the end cap
7 of FIG. 8, in a similar manner to FIG. 6. In addition, the oil
grooves 77 and 78 are formed to vertically interpose the oil supply
opening 70. The upper oil groove 77 linearly extends leftward and
rightward above the oil supply opening 70, forms arc shapes on the
upper side of the through hole 73, and then turns downward at right
angle to reach oil reservoirs 77a, respectively.
The lower oil groove 78 linearly extends leftward and rightward
below the oil supply opening 70, forms arc shapes on the lower side
of the through hole 73, extends laterally a little, and then turns
downward at right angle to reach the recess portions 71,
respectively. Also in the end cap 7 of FIG. 8, the return guides 3
configured in a similar manner to FIG. 6 are fitted into the recess
portions 74 and 75 for use, respectively, so that the groove 33 of
the return guide 3 continues with the lower oil groove 78.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, an oil groove 28 to overlap the oil
grooves 77 and 78 of the end cap 7, the oil supply opening 70, and
the groove 33 of the return guide 3 is formed in the plate-shaped
portions 21A and 21B of the retainers 2A and 2B. The oil groove 28
includes a part 28a to overlap the oil supply opening 70, a part
28b to overlap the upper oil groove 77, a part 28c to overlap the
lower oil groove 78, and a part 28d to overlap the groove 33 of the
return guide 3. The parts 28b and 28c to respectively overlap the
upper and lower oil grooves 77 and 78 are coupled with the part 28a
to overlap the oil supply opening 70.
In addition, the trunk part 212A of the retainer 2A for the leg
portion 11 (illustrated on the left side in FIG. 9) is longer than
the trunk part 212B of the retainer 2B for the leg portion 12, and
extends to the right side of the center (i.e., the locations of the
oil supply opening 70 and the joint attachment hole 70a of the end
cap 7) in the width direction of the trunk portion 13 of the body
1. Recess portions 212e are formed at locations of the respective
oil grooves 28b and 28c on the end face of the trunk part 212A of
the retainer 2A. Projection portions 212f to be fitted into the
respective recess portions 212e are formed on the end face of the
trunk part 212B of the retainer 2B. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view
illustrative of this part.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, the lengths of the trunk parts 212A and
212B (i.e., the size in the width direction of the slider) are
slightly made shorter than a size with which both end faces are
brought into contact, and the widths of the recess portions 212e of
the trunk part 212A and the projection portions 212f of the trunk
part 212B (i.e., the size in the thickness direction of the trunk
portion 13 of the body 1) are made to have the sizes to contact
with each other.
An Example in which a Projection is Provided on an End Face
As to the end faces of both trunk parts 212A and 212B of the
retainers 2A and 2B, a projection is provided on one of the end
faces to project from the one of the end face, whereas the other of
the end faces of the trunk portion is made flat, so that the
projection may be elastically deformed by contacting with the flat
face at the time of attachment. As compared with the case where
such a projection is not provided, even if the dimensional
tolerance is not strict very much, the lubricant can be hardly
leaked from between both end faces.
FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of a front view illustrative
of a state where the retainers 2A and 2B are attached to the body.
FIG. 12 is a view illustrative of an end face of the trunk part
212A of the retainer 2A.
In this example, protrusions 212g protruding from the end faces of
the trunk part 212A are provided at end faces of the trunk part
212A, whereas an end face 212h of the trunk part 212B is made flat.
The protrusions 212g are formed on the end faces of the trunk part
212A at both ends in the width direction. The protrusions 212g
become an elastically deformed state by contacting with the flat
face 212h at the time of attachment.
FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged view of a front view illustrative
of a state where the retainers 2A and 2B are attached to the body.
FIG. 14 is a view illustrative of an end face of the trunk part
212A of the retainer 2A.
In this example, projections 212k projecting from the end faces of
the trunk part 212A are provided at the trunk part 212A, whereas
the end face 212h of the trunk part 212B is made flat. The
projections 212k are formed on both end faces of an oil groove 23b
of the trunk part 212A. The projections 212k become an elastically
deformed state by contacting with the flat face 212h at the time of
attachment.
It is to be noted that each of the above embodiments has been
described is an example in which the end faces of adjacent trunk
parts 212A and 212B oppose each other or contact with each other at
a location of not overlapping the oil supply opening 70. However,
even if the end faces of adjacent trunk parts 212A and 212B contact
with each other at a location of overlapping the oil supply opening
70, the lubricant can be hardly leaked as compared to the
configuration of the PLT 2. In addition, even if the end faces of
adjacent trunk parts 212A and 212B are both flat faces, the
lubricant can be hardly leaked as compared to the configuration of
the PLT 2.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
1 body of slider 11, 12 leg portion of body 13 trunk portion of
body 2A, 2B retainer 21A, 21B plate-shaped portion of retainer 211
leg part of plate-shaped portion 212A, 212B trunk part of
plate-shaped portion 212c projection portion arranged on end face
of trunk part 212d recess portion arranged on end face of trunk
part 212e recess portion arranged on end face of trunk part 212f
projection portion arranged on end face of trunk part 22a upper
retaining portion of retainer 22b middle retaining portion of
retainer 22c lower retaining portion of retainer 23 oil groove of
plate-shaped portion 28 oil groove of plate-shaped portion 3 return
guide 33 oil groove of return guide 43a, 43b rolling groove 7 end
cap 7A part on which plate-shaped portion is disposed (disposition
face) 7B abutting face (face to brought into contact with end face
of body) 70 oil supply opening 71 recess portion forming outer
circumference of direction changing path 76 oil groove of end cap
77 oil groove of end cap 78 oil groove of end cap
* * * * *